Friday, May 1, 2015

John Field stands with his mom, Marcella Field, near the airplane he built himself, N35JF. Marcella was her son’s first passenger in the plane, once it passed a safety inspection and trial period.

Many people have dreamed of flying through the clear blue skies. Most people can only achieve that through imagination or an airline ticket.But for John Field, taking to the skies starts with simply taking a seat behind the controls of his own airplane.“It’s very much a sense of freedom.” Field said of flying. “I get a thrill every time I go, at least a little one.”Field, a River Falls native, didn’t just decide to go out and buy himself a plane. A licensed pilot, with about 40 years of experience, Field built the plane himself.He used a kit to build the RV4 airplane. The RV4 kit made by Van’s Aircraft company.He bought the blueprints in 1987 and started working on the plane in 1990. It took 22 years to finish.Field did most work himself, though he had help from a friend when bucking the rivets.Field learned a lot from the building experience. He said he knew how to fly planes when he began, but not much about building them.“Pretty much everything I did I had to learn it,” Field said. “Every new kind of thing I got into, I had to read up and study about how it was done correctly.“I was always having to figure out how to do this or that. Like the electrical system, and the fuel system and painting.”That’s one reason it took so long for Field to build the plane. That also allowed him to really customize the plane to himself.Field said it has definitely been worth the 22 years of work.“It wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying if I had just purchased it,” Field said. “I think the fact it’s kind of my creation, at least to a great extent...“That’s probably the most satisfying, I suppose, is just having accomplished it. It was a journey more than a means to an end. It wasn’t all about having the airplane, it was about building it.”Field finished his airplane in July 2012. After a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspection, Field began an FAA-required 40-hour test phase.“The first flight I just stayed right over the airport,” Field said. “After that you sort of carefully expand, explore and document the aircraft’s flight envelope and performance, but the design is so proven it was basically making sure I built it right.”After a successful trial period, he was free to take passengers and go wherever he’d like. His first passenger was with his 83-year-old mother, Marcella Field.“She’s a very amazing per-son, that’s for sure,” Field said of his mom. “She had a hard time getting in, but she en-joyed it a lot.”Field now flies his airplane out of the New Richmond airport where he also stores it. He doesn’t fly much in winter, but over the summer he usually flies about once or twice a week.He’s flown over River Falls, and all over Wisconsin. He’s taken his plane on trips to Madison and Arizona, with a few stops to refuel on the way.Though Field doesn’t have to file flight plans with the FAA, he does take safety very seriously.“Flying safely is a very complicated subject,” Field said. “I try very hard not to do stupid things while flying airplanes. Maintaining a disciplined approach to this hobby is important.”A 1975 River Falls High School graduate, Field started learning to fly in 1976 at the Lake Elmo, Minn., airport, where he earned his private pilot’s license in 1978. But, he said, he really learned to fly while he was an F16 instructor for the U.S. Air Force.Field, whose father George Field was a UW-River Falls chancellor (1968-85), joined the Air Force after graduating from UWRF in 1982.He left the Air Force at the end of 1989. He later flew business jets for Dayton’s and the Target Corporation for 15 years after that.Field’s plane has a 20-foot wingspan, weighs about 1,000 pounds empty, and has a 160- horsepower engine.That means it can fly up to 210 miles per hour. It can go up to 17,500 feet with the oxygen system it has in place.“It’s a fun airplane to fly,” Field said. “It’s very much a freedom that you have up there.”The complete story can be found in the April 30 print edition of the River Falls Journal.

John Field placed a GoPro camera on the tip of his airplane’s wing during a flight to Arizona with Lora James riding as his passenger.

Thursday, April 30, 2015

MARTINSBURG, BLAIR COUNTY -- We found that 9 seater-planes coming in and out of the Altoona-Blair County Airport are rarely full and sometimes don't carry anyone at all.
It's no secret that the new air service at the Altoona-Blair County Airport had trouble taking off in December.

Tracy Plessinger, Manager, Altoona-Blair County Airport, said, "Well it was a rough start during the winter. Of course we had terrible winter weather."

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, traffic at the airport has been heading on a downward trend since 2009 -- carrying less than 4,000 passengers in 2013, but officials say since switching to Sun Air Express, the flights are more reliable.

"We think that's going to grow once people have confidence and flights,” he said. “I still get calls from people saying if I book a flight is it going to go."

Explore Altoona says they're excited to see the potential these flights could bring.

Mark Ickes, Executive Director of Explore Altoona, said, "Certainly any form of transportation is important in getting visitors and outsiders into the county in order to drive visitor spending."

The airport has four round-trip flights between Pittsburgh and Altoona each weekday. The airport is part of the Essential Air Service program. EAS is a federal government program to bring service to smaller airports and it helps underwrite the costs.

"The piece of the cost that is not covered by the $29 ticket is part of the EAS program and the reimbursement the airline gets for flying the flights,” said Plessinger.

While we were there, a plane from Pittsburgh landed with no one on it.

"The flights fly on time whether there's a passenger or if there's only one or two passengers,” Plessinger said. “The flight always flies on time."

That flight turned around and went back to Pittsburgh -- again with no passengers on board. Plessinger says in order for the air carrier to get federal money, they have to fly a certain number of times per day.

"The flights go whether or not there's a passenger on that particular flight or not,” he said.

The airport says flights are reliable so now is the time to begin aggressively marketing and get people to fill those seats.

Right now -- the airport is averaging 12 passengers a day. Officials say that is a mix of business and vacation travel, but that is not enough. In order to keep these flights in the air, they need to average 33 passengers a day. There is a two year window to make that happen -- or they could lose the federal dollars.Original article can be found here: http://www.wearecentralpa.com

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA21114 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Thursday, April 30, 2015 in Trinidad, COProbable Cause Approval Date: 11/17/2016Aircraft: HOFFMAN ZENITH 701, registration: N95MHInjuries: 1 Fatal.NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.The noncertificated pilot was conducting a personal flight in the experimental amateur-built airplane. A witness reported seeing the airplane circling overhead about 200 to 300 ft above ground level. According to the witness, the airplane's engine was running normally. The witness reported that during the third circle, the airspeed was low, the wings were level, and the pilot was turning the airplane using only the rudder. The witness heard the engine noise stop, and the airplane "flipped over to the left" and descended in a nose-down attitude to ground impact. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller blades displayed no evidence of rotational damage, indicating that the engine was not producing power at ground impact. An engine run was conducted, and the engine started and ran smoothly. Although it is possible that the uncoordinated (wings level) turns the pilot was making caused fuel to move away from the fuel tank ports resulting in fuel starvation, the reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.The pilot did not hold any type of pilot certificate, a medical certificate, or a valid driver's license and his flight time is unknown. It is likely that as the pilot maneuvered the airplane at a low altitude, he allowed the airspeed to decay to the point of exceeding the wing's critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Further, it is likely that the pilot was lacking in flight training and experience, which prevented him from maintaining control of the airplane. Toxicological testing identified diphenhydramine, a sedating antihistamine, in the pilot's blood and urine, but the pilot's decision to perform turns at low altitude was likely not due to the effects of diphenhydramine.The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:The noncertificated pilot's failure to maintain airspeed following a loss of engine power while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in the airplane's wing exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction. HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn April 30, 2015, about 1257 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Hoffman Zenith 701, N95MH, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain about 2.5 miles north of Trinidad, Colorado. The non-certificated pilot received fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to a private individual and was operated by the non-certificated pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed. The time and place of departure, and the destination airport, are unknown. A witness who lived near the accident site reported the he heard the airplane approaching from the east and he went outside to observe the airplane. He saw the airplane making two left hand circles overhead about 200 to 300 feet above ground level. He could see the pilot wearing a headset and sunglasses. The engine was running normally and was "revved out." The witness reported that on the third circle, the airplane "floated." He stated that the pilot was turning the airplane by using the rudder, the wings were not banked to the left, and the airspeed was low. He reported that the engine noise stopped, and the airplane flipped over to the left and went straight down. He reported that the nose of airplane rose slightly before ground impact.PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe 53-year-old pilot was not a certificated pilot and he did not hold a medical certificate. The pilot did not possess a valid driver's license, but did have a valid Colorado identification card. The pilot's flight time was unknown. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe airplane was an experimental amateur-built Hoffman Zenith 701, serial number 001, manufactured in 2009. The engine was a 100-horsepower Rotax 912 ULS-2, serial number 5651969. It seated two and had a maximum gross weight of 1,100 lbs. The maintenance logbooks were not obtained during the investigation. The hour meter on board the airplane indicated that it had a total of 435 hours. The airplane was equipped with a Dynon EFIS-D10A, a 4-inch flight instrument display. The airplane's fuselage and wings were originally painted in red, yellow, and white. The horizontal stabilizer was painted red, the vertical stabilizer was painted yellow, and the rudder was painted in a white and black checkerboard pattern. Witnesses reported that the pilot was in an earlier accident in the airplane in 2014 that resulted in substantial damage to the nose gear, engine compartment, and both wings of the airplane. Both wings were replaced and the nose and engine compartment was repaired. The airplane was then painted white.METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAt 1354, the surface weather observation at Perry Stokes Airport (TAD), Trinidad, Colorado, located about 10 miles to the northeast of the accident site, was: wind variable at 3 kts; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 25 degrees C; dew point -1 degrees C; altimeter 30.01 inches of mercury.WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted the terrain on a heading of 55 degrees magnetic. The wreckage was about 12 feet from the initial impact point and was inverted. The wreckage exhibited significant crushing and buckling, but it was largely intact. The nose wheel was pushed aft. The leading edges and the bottoms of the left and right wings exhibited aft crushing and buckling. The cockpit was crushed aft. The floorboards had been cut by the first responders. The fuselage and empennage exhibited buckling, but the horizontal and vertical stabilizers received minimal damage. The check of the flight controls revealed that the rudder cables exhibited continuity from the rudder pedals to the rudder bellcrank. The elevator push/pull tube was separated at the bottom of the control stick with a fracture surface consistent with overload; otherwise, the elevator cables and attach points exhibited continuity. The aileron control system exhibited continuity from the control stick to the attach points on the left and right ailerons. The leading edges of the three-bladed composite propeller blades revealed minimal damage. One blade remained attached to the propeller hub and it was not visibly damaged. One blade was separated from the propeller hub at the base of the blade. No other damage was noted. The third blade was broken about 10 inches from the blade root. The engine exhibited minimal damage. The crankshaft was rotated and thumb compression and suction were confirmed on all four cylinders. The cockpit fuel selector was found on the right tank. Both the fuel tanks were inverted and had little fuel in either tank when examined. The right tank had less that a pint of fuel drained from it. The ground underneath both fuel tanks was examined, and it was wet and smelled like aviation fuel. The examination of the wreckage revealed that almost the entire airplane had been painted white, with only two large squares on the top of the fuselage still painted yellow. There were no aircraft registration numbers painted on the sides or tail of the airplane. The airplane's data plate indicated that the Federal Aviation Administration's register number for the airplane was N95MH. The airframe and engine were taken to an airplane retrieval facility for further examination. The Dynon EFIS-D10A was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) Vehicle Recorder Division for examination. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe autopsy of the pilot was performed at the El Paso County Coroner's Office, Colorado Springs, Colorado, on May 2, 2015. The cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. A Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report was prepared by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. Diphenhydramine was detected in the urine and blood. Naproxen was detected in the urine. Carbon monoxide (12%) was detected in the blood.Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine used to treat allergy symptoms and as a sleep aid. It is available over the counter with the names Benadryl and Unisom (as well as many others). Naproxen is an anti-inflammatory analgesic available over the counter with the name Aleve. TESTS AND RESEARCHThe NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division examined the Dynon EFIS-D10A. Depending on the firmware version of the unit, the Dynon has the ability to log data to internal memory. According to the manufacturer, the firmware versions 5.0 and later have the ability to log certain parameters. However, upon interrogating the unit using the manufacturer's software, it was determined that the unit had version 2.19, which does not support data logging. Therefore, there was no data recorded on the device.The airplane's fuel system was examined and it exhibited continuity from the fuel tanks in the wings to the engine. The breaks in the fuel lines were consistent with impact damage. The Facet automotive fuel pump was tested and it operated when electrical power was applied. An engine run was conducted and the engine started immediately and it ran smooth. However, due to the impact damage to the oil pump fixture, the engine was only run at idle power and for a short duration. The engine run was conducted a second time with the same results. ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONThe current owner of the airplane purchased the airplane in April 2014. On December 11, 2014, the airplane owner reported to the Longmont Police department that the airplane was missing and it was described as "Lost Property." On December 24, 2014, the owner made a written statement indicating that he was the sole owner of the airplane and that he reported the theft of the airplane to the Longmont Police Department. The written statement did not authorize the accident pilot to be in possession of the airplane.

NTSB Identification: CEN15FA21114 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Thursday, April 30, 2015 in Trinidad, COAircraft: HOFFMAN ZENITH 701, registration: N95MHInjuries: 1 Fatal.This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.On April 30, 2015, about 1257 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Hoffman Zenith 701, N95MH, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain about 2.5 miles north of Trinidad, Colorado. The non-certificated pilot received fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to a private individual and was operated by the non-certificated pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed. The departure airport, time of departure, and destination airport are unknown.A witness who lived near the accident site reported the he heard the airplane approaching from the east and he went outside to observe the airplane. He saw the airplane making two left hand circles overhead about 200 to 300 feet above ground level. He could see the pilot wearing a headset and sunglasses. The engine was running normally and was "revved out." The witness reported that on the third circle, the airplane "floated." He stated that the pilot was turning the airplane by using the rudder, and the wings were not banked to the left and the airspeed was low. He reported that the engine noise stopped, and the airplane flipped over to the left and went straight down. He reported that the nose of airplane rose slightly before ground impact.The examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted the terrain on a heading of 055 degrees magnetic. The wreckage was about 12 feet from the initial impact point and was inverted. The wreckage exhibited significant crushing and buckling, but it was largely intact.The nose wheel was pushed aft. The leading edges and the bottoms of the left and right wings exhibited aft crushing and buckling. The cockpit was crushed aft and the floorboards had been cut by the first responders. The fuselage and empennage exhibited buckling, but the horizontal and vertical stabilizers received minimal damage. The check of the flight controls revealed that the rudder cables exhibited continuity from the rudder pedals to the rudder bellcrank. The elevator push/pull tube was separated at the bottom of the control stick with a fracture surface consistent with overload; otherwise, the elevator cables and attach points exhibited continuity. The aileron control system exhibited continuity from the control stick to the attach points on the left and right ailerons.The leading edges of the three-bladed composite propeller blades revealed minimal damage. One blade remained attached to the propeller hub and it was not visibly damaged. One blade was separated from the propeller hub at the base of the blade. No other damage was noted. The third blade was broken about 10 inches from the blade root.The engine exhibited minimal damage. The crankshaft was rotated and thumb compression and suction were confirmed on all four cylinders.The cockpit fuel selector was found on the right tank. Both the fuel tanks were inverted and had little fuel in either tank when examined. The right tank had less that a pint of fuel drained from it. The ground underneath both fuel tanks was examined; it was wet and smelled like aviation fuel.The examination of the wreckage revealed that almost the entire airplane had been painted white. There were no aircraft registration numbers painted on the sides or tail of the airplane. The airplane's data plate indicated that the Federal Aviation Administration's register number for the airplane was N95MH. The examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplane's original paint scheme before it had been painted white was yellow, red, and white; and the rudder was painted in a checkerboard pattern.

Gregory Arlen Frank, of Loveland, died April 30, 2015 in Trinidad, Colorado. He was 53. Greg was born on March 5, 1962 to Leonard Arlen Frank and Maureen Reiter Frank in Denver, Colorado.Gregory was an adventurous soul. He took up dirt bike riding at a young age. He raced on a local, regional and even national scene for many years. He enjoyed fishing and 4-wheeling as well. He had been flying for three years, passionately pursuing this exciting venture.Surviving are his father of Loveland; a sister Tina Frank of Loveland; a brother Todd (Julie) Frank of Loveland; nieces and nephews Zach (Brittany) Frank, Ren Frank, Beth (Josh) Welsh, David Adams and Tiffany Adams; and numerous cousins, aunts, uncles and many dear friends.Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, May 8 at the Howe Mortuary Chapel, Longmont. A cremation has been entrusted to Howe Mortuary.Contributions may be made to the Humane Society in c/o Howe Mortuary, 439 Coffman St, Longmont, CO 80501. http://howemortuary.com

The Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office said the site of the deadly airplane crash that occurred Thursday has been cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. The pilot and lone occupant of the plane, who hasn’t been identified yet pending the notification of his next-of-kin, was killed in the crash that occurred north of Trinidad near the Las Animas County Fairgrounds around 1 p.m. Thursday.Investigation into the airplane’s departure and direction is still pending, the sheriff’s office said in a press release.The airplane was listed as missing with the Longmont Police Department in November 2014, according to the sheriff’s office.An investigation into the accident, which is being handled by the FAA and NTSB, is ongoing.=========TRINIDAD - The Las Animas County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that a small plane has crashed near Trinidad. According to Undersheriff Derek Navarette, a single engine prop-plane went down around 1 p.m. in a field just west County Road 71.1 near the Las Animas County Fairgrounds.The only occupant, the pilot, was killed in the crash. Navarette says witnesses told him that the plane was circling the field before crashing.The Trinidad Chronicle-News reports the wreckage will be removed Friday. The NTSB will respond Friday to investigate. Personnel from the Trinidad Fire Department, Las Animas County Sheriff's Office and Colorado State Patrol responded. The pilot's name hasn't been released.Original article can be found here: http://www.koaa.com

TRINIDAD, Colo. — A man was killed in a small plane crash near Trinidad Thursday afternoon.The Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened around 1 p.m. about a mile from the Las Animas County Fairgrounds.The single-engine plane went down about 300 yards west of County Road 71.1.Deputies said the pilot, a man in his 50s, was killed in the crash.No one else was in the plane. The victim has not been identified.Investigators have not yet determined what caused the crash.A witness told Las Animas County deputies that the plane circled over his property several times before going down.The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, along with the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office.

A Dallas pilot trying to land his single-engine plane after the craft’s canopy opened up received only minor cuts when his aircraft ended up nose first after a hard landing at Corsicana Municipal Airport Thursday.
The incident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. as Peter Bogda, 69, of Dallas, had taken off in his Czech Sport Aircraft Sportcruiser after a day visiting Corsicana.

Bogda, who was alone in the two-seater plane, had just taken off from the local airport when the canopy, which was supposed to open only slightly, opened up all the way.“When that happened, he didn’t have enough power to overcome the resistance, and was losing airspeed,” explained Gary Farley, base operator at C. David Campbell Field.Farley said the plane came back around and Bogda tried to land on the runway.“He was descending too fast and couldn’t make it,” Farley said. “He hit the taxiway and slid for about 30 yards.”One of the plane’s propeller blades broke during the slide off the taxiway, and the plane’s landing gear appeared to be damaged. There was no fire or fuel leaking from the plane.The plane ended up in the grass next to the runway, nose down.Bogda was treated at the scene by Corsicana EMS for minor cuts.The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating the incident.

A federal appeals court on Thursday vacated a 2 1/2-year prison sentence handed to a North Hollywood man who shined a laser at a business jet and then aimed the “commercial-grade” device at a police helicopter sent to find the source.A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena ordered that 21-year-old Adam Gardenhire be resentenced in Los Angeles federal court.Gardenhire pleaded guilty in October 2012 to a single federal count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.At sentencing the following year, the court applied an enhancement for “reckless endangerment.”In its ruling, the 9th Circuit determined that the district court erred in concluding that Gardenhire “acted recklessly when he aimed his laser beam at the aircraft,” when the record is devoid of evidence that the defendant was “aware of the risk created by his conduct.”According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Gardenhire pointed the laser at a Cessna Citation on March 29, 2012, as the pilot was preparing to land at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, leaving the pilot with vision impairment that lasted several hours.Gardenhire then aimed the device at a Pasadena police helicopter that had been dispatched to find the source of the laser that had been pointed at the Cessna, prosecutors said, noting that the helicopter pilot was wearing protecting eye gear and did not suffer any injury.Prosecutors said laser beams, even penlight-style pointers, can temporarily blind pilots. Though lasers project a tiny beam over relatively short distances, the diameter of the beam grows significantly over the distance of a few miles.Original article can be found here: http://mynewsla.com

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - FedEx held a Final Flight Ceremony on Thursday honoring the global shipping company's first African-American pilot.

Carroll Waters died at 78-years-old. His ashes will be sent to his final resting place in Virginia.

FedEx says Waters was known for his personal motto, "the sky isn't the limit."

Waters first took to the skies as a combat pilot and original member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen.

He became a FedEx pilot in 1973, after earning a Bronze Star, Air, and National Defense Service medals.

On January 1 of that year, Waters told FedEx founder Fred Smith by phone, "I'm a black pilot and I'm looking for a job."

Smith's response was, "When can you get here?"

Waters became employee number 373, the third of the fledgling company's three pilots.

Shortly before Waters' death, he spoke at an event and remembered a time when he carried only 20 packages on his first flight.

After 23 years at FedEx, Waters retired in 1996.

A memorial service will be held Saturday at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Wilcomico, Virginia where all attending pilots will wearuniforms.

FedEx says, at this time, 129 of its' 4,200 pilots are African-American.WMC Action News 5's Kontji Anthony attended Thursday's ceremony and will bring you reaction from his contemporaries and proteges.Original article can be found here: http://www.wmcactionnews5.com

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. A Cessna plane landing at the Grand Junction Regional Airport has landed safely, after losing landing gear capabilities in the nose of the plane just after 11:30 AM this morning. Crews on scene said the pilot of the plane spent 45 minutes trying to manually lower the nose gear, but could not get it to lower. The plane flew past the airport tower, which confirmed the nose gear was not lowered.According to the Grand Junction Regional Airport, there were two people on board the aircraft. The pilot made an emergency landing on Runway 4, as the pilot kept the plane back on the wheels as long as possible, then came down on the nose of the plane to land.There were no reported injuries, and minimal damage to the nose of the plane, along with the propeller. The Grand Junction Regional Airport says crews are working to remove the aircraft from the runway.Original article can be found here: http://www.nbc11news.com

A Columbus Division of Police helicopter made a precautionary landing this afternoon on the Northeast Side, the second time in 24 hours that a division pilot was forced to touch down unexpectedly. The latest landing occurred at 1:50 p.m. in the area of New Albany Road and Walton Parkway, north of Rt. 161. The aircraft landed without incident, and no injuries were reported, police said. It is not clear if the landing involved the same aircraft that made a precautionary landing on the Far West Side late last night. In that incident, a police pilot put a helicopter down in a parking lot off Hilliard-Rome Road just before midnight, after a warning light came on. No injuries occurred in that incident. Original article can be found here: http://www.dispatch.com

TECUMSEH -- Skydive Tecumseh launched a scaled-back operation 18 miles from its home base in Tecumseh on Sunday.Skydivers jumped from the company’s airplane at Napoleon Airport, two days after a Lenawee County Circuit Court judge ruled she could not order temporary access to Al Meyers Airport while a lawsuit between the companies is fought. The Tecumseh airport’s new owner, Andrew Aalto, banned Skydive Tecumseh from his runway in January, citing safety concerns and a desire to develop other airport business.The flights from Napoleon Airport were described as “an additional operation” by Skydive Tecumseh’s attorney, David Stimpson of Tecumseh.Parachuting at Napoleon Airport allows the business to survive while a permanent solution is worked out, Stimpson said.“They don’t have the ability to operate at the same level anywhere else,” Stimpson said. Skydive Tecumseh has a building and infrastructure on its property adjacent to the Al Meyers Airport to accommodate the volume of customers it had served.There are active discussions with other airports, he said. And a lawsuit against Al Meyers Airport is ongoing that could lead to a restoration of access, he said.Napoleon Airport owner Anthony Hurst said he welcomes Skydive Tecumseh to his community.“Yes, I think the restaurants and businesses in the area would welcome them with open arms,” Hurst said.The business served 30 or 40 skydivers at Napoleon Airport on Sunday, he said. He expects Skydive Tecumseh will be flying from the airport again this weekend.Napoleon Airport hosted another parachuting service in the past. It relocated 10 or 15 years ago for business reasons, Hurst said.Hurst said he was impressed with how Skydive Tecumseh operated on Sunday.“It went very well. They run a very safe operation. They’re very conscious of maintaining safety,” he said.The two grass runways at Napoleon are comparable to the turf runway Skydive Tecumseh used at Al Meyers Airport, Hurst said. But Napoleon Airport does not have facilities to replace Skydive Tecumseh’s infrastructure in Tecumseh.Stimpson said there is no airport in Lenawee County to where Skydive Tecumseh can relocate its full operation. The Lenawee County Airport in Madison Township has too many other operations to accommodate a skydiving business, he said.Some of the independent contractors employed by the business will not have work this season, he said, without access to Al Meyers Airport.Original article can be found here: http://www.lenconnect.com

1:23 p.m. update:A pilot "walked away" from a plane belly landing on the runway at the Reno-Stead Airport Thursday afternoon, the Reno-Tahoe International Airport Authority said."We're talking about a very small private plane, it was a single engine, and no passengers just the pilot," Heidi Jared, Reno-Tahoe International Airport Authority spokeswoman, said. "It was essentially a rough landing.""There were no injures the pilot walked away," she said, adding he was not hospitalized. "It was great news in that regard."The rough landing occurred at about 12 p.m., but the plane was cleared from the runway an nearly an hour afterward. The landing gear locked for unknown reasons causing the plane to "land wheels up," Jared said."Thankfully the pilot was skilled enough and the weather was great that he was able to guide the plane down safely," she said.12:12 p.m. update: According to scanner radio reports, a small plane made a "belly landing" around noon Thursday at Stead airport north of Reno.Scanner announcements indicate that one person has a minor injury and is being transported to a hospital.The incident happened on the west side of the airport's land, according to the scanner.Original article can be found here: http://www.rgj.com

Local airport director Rick Rock updates the Benedum Airport Authority Wednesday on plans to promote the direct flights to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

BRIDGEPORT — The Benedum Airport Authority voted Wednesday to submit a letter to state and federal officials expressing opposition to a planned runway extension at Morgantown Municipal Airport.Media outlets reported earlier this month that the U.S. Air Force Reserve has agreed to partner with the Morgantown airport to extend its runway by more than 1,000 feet, allowing for international flights. The project is expected to cost roughly $30 million.On Wednesday, airport authority board members said they view the expansion as a waste of resources, given that North Central West Virginia Airport is located near Morgantown and already has a runway 7,800 feet long.Local airport officials have expressed a desire to work regionally to expand air service opportunities in the area, rather than having airports in Morgantown and Bridgeport compete with one another.“If we create two mediocre airports, all we’re really going to have is two 8,000-foot runways that aren’t going to benefit anybody in the community,” board member Mike Romano said, adding that extending the Morgantown runway would “create something that nobody needs. It just couldn’t be any sillier.”North Central West Virginia Airport Director Rick Rock echoed Romano’s comments.“If you look at it from a 30,000-foot view, I don’t know how anybody could think that makes a whole lot of sense,” Rock said.Romano made a motion to pen a “letter to all of our federal delegation, the governor and any other appropriate entities explaining what a waste of taxpayer dollars this is.”The letter should be focused on facts in order to “show that we’re not bellyaching,” he said.“This is the biggest boondoggle since the bridge to nowhere in Alaska,” Romano said. “I just can’t imagine that we’d want to spend that kind of money.”In other business, the board heard an update on the terminal improvement projects funded through last year’s round of Airport Improvement Program money from the Federal Aviation Administration.Rock invited the board members to participate in a walkthrough scheduled for Friday to review the construction so far. The improvements include roofing upgrades, a new terminal canopy, new signage and a new paved parking area.Engineer Nicole Jones — filling in for airport engineer Chad Biller — said the front entrance, which has been closed off for months now, is set to re-open in time for Saturday’s Honor Flight. All of the finishing details for the projects should be wrapped up by May 8, she said.There was some discussion about whether the construction had extended beyond the timeline agreed upon in the contract, as the improvements were originally expected to wrap up in March. Jones noted that weather conditions and additional work contributed to delays in the completion date.Romano said the board should ensure it follows all provisions in the contract, given that the project was bid out based on a specific timetable.Rock also gave the board updates Wednesday on various things going on at the airport, highlighting ongoing issues with the federally subsidized Essential Air Service (EAS) flights to Washington, D.C., and plans for promoting this summer’s direct flights to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.The EAS flights, offered by Silver Airways, have struggled to meet a $200-per-passenger subsidy cap set by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Rock has said that the federal government intends to more strictly enforce the subsidy cap this year.Since the start of the current EAS funding cycle in October, Silver, which receives $191,000 per month to offer direct flights to Washington, D.C., has failed to fill enough seats to fall below $200 per passenger.The issue did not improve in March, Rock said. Silver averaged over $347 per passenger for the month, he said.“It was another dismal month with EAS,” Rock said. “We had 550 total passengers for Silver for the month of March.”On a more positive note, Rock said the airport has been aggressively promoting the Myrtle Beach flights. The airport has already booked 1,661 passengers for those flights, which will begin in June, he said.Rock said the local airport is looking at giving away tickets and doing other promotional activities at upcoming West Virginia Black Bears games to build additional enthusiasm in the area for the Myrtle Beach flights.Original article can be found here: http://www.theet.com

Airport Authority board member Mike Romano, left, voices opposition to a proposal to spend $30 million to extend the runway at Morgantown Municipal Airport to 8,000 feet. The runway at North Central West Virginia Airport is 7,800 feet.

A C-130 plane sat on the tarmac at the Durango-La Plata County Airport on Thursday as part of a mock disaster drill. The military pilots said they aren’t the ones flying over Durango at night.

A large, low-flying plane has buzzed Durango several times this week after 11:30 p.m., but area military bases haven’t returned requests for comment.The plane, which has lights and propeller engines, has woken residents about 11:30 p.m. and 11:40 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, respectively. Some residents have reported hearing it other nights at 1 or 1:30 a.m.It has been seen traveling southeast over the Animas Valley and the city of Durango.A C-130 transport plane was stationed Thursday at the Durango-La Plata County Airport as part of a mock disaster drill. But the military pilots said they aren’t the ones flying over Durango.Two years ago, Cannon Air Force Base outside Clovis, New Mexico, began a program to train pilots in low-altitude, night flying in mountains to simulate the terrain of Afghanistan.The flight patterns for the missions included the southern San Juan Mountains in Colorado. But plane sightings have been fairly rare and sporadic.Original article can be found here: http://www.durangoherald.com

Jody Bochner, 26, from Miami Florida, who was convicted of engaging in threatening, and of insulting behavior on board flight from London to Fort Lauderale (United States) that had to be diverted to Shannon Airport last night pictured arriving at Limerick Court today.

A bartender has been fined €1,000 after an air rage incident, sparked by a row over an e-cigarette, on a flight that made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport last night.Limerick District Court heard the incident cost Norwegian Airlines €100,000 in refuelling and landing slot costs.Jody Bochner (26) was drinking from a litre of gin before he set off one of the plane's smoke alarms after using an e-cigarette in a toilet.After a cabin crew member told him he could not smoke the device on board, he "leapt" from his seat and attempted to assault a male member of staff.The Norwegian Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 249 passengers and 13 crew, was 40 minutes into its journey yesterday from London Gatwick to Fort Lauderdale, United States, when the mid-air drama began.Garda Karen Walsh, Shannon Garda Station told the court Mr. Bochner told staff on the flight, "f*** you" and to "f*** off"."He was very aggressive and he leapt from his seat and attempted to strike a cabin crew member. The cabin crew restrained him and placed in him handcuffs," she said."He carried on being abusive and shouting and banging the seats in front of him. Six passengers who were seated around him had to be moved."He didn't believe he had done anything wrong. He was abusive and aggressive as we brought him to the garda station. He also slipped. I could smell the liquor off of him," she added.Garda Walsh said Mr. Buchner, from Miami, was a "totally different gentleman" after sobering up and spending the night in Shannon Garda Station.The plane had been cruising South of Cork when the Captain decided to divert to Shannon.Garda Walsh said the Captain "had to dump 20 tonnes of fuel at a cost of €20,000".She said the fuel had to be replaced at a further cost of €20,000."The airline lost its landing slots in the US and its returning slots at Gatwick which costs them €60,000," she added.Solicitor Stiofan Fitzpatrick said Mr. Bochner was on his way back home to the States after visiting his girlfriend in London."He had planned to take alcohol and go to sleep, as it was a long haul flight. He bought a litre of gin and he placed it into a Coke bottle," Mr. Fitzpatrick said.Effect"It seems it had the opposition effect on him," he added.Mr. Fitzpatrick said Mr. Bochner had no memory of the incident and was "very embarrassed".Judge Aeneas McCarthy convicted and fined Mr Bochner €1,000 for been threatening, abusive and insulting on board the flight.The judge took into consideration a charge of being drunk on the flight, and a charge of engaging in offensive behavior having been requested to cease that behavior.Mr. Bochner was given 28 days to pay the fine or spend thirty days in prison.Original article can be found here: http://www.herald.ie

The pilot of a Mooney M20J 201 plane with two passengers aboard landed at Martha’s Vineyard Airport Wednesday afternoon without the plane’s retractable landing gear lowered, without incident or injuries. The control tower reported that a plane had landed without its wheels down, and the crash alarm was sounded, airport manager Sean Flynn told The Times. When fire personnel responded, all three occupants were safely out of the plane, which was resting upright on the runway.Mr. Flynn said the pilot had traveled from an airport in Connecticut on a day trip. He said he could not speculate on the cause of the accident, which would be the subject of an FAA investigation.Mr. Flynn said there are mechanisms that alert a pilot whether the gear is up or down.Original article can be found here: http://www.mvtimes.com

A Bronx woman who told police she was returning to New York following an appearance on the "Judge Judy" show was arrested as she stepped off a plane at Kennedy Airport early Thursday after authorities said she stole items from a flight attendant and passenger.A spokesman for the Port Authority identified the woman arrested as Melissa Perez, 26. She was charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. The Port Authority said Perez also was found to be in possession of marijuana.Port Authority spokesman Joseph Pentangelo said Perez has eight prior arrests, including two felony arrests for drugs, and said she told Port Authority police she was returning to New York from Los Angeles after an appearance on "Judge Judy."The reality court show on CBS features retired Manhattan Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin presiding over small claim disputes. Calls and emails to a spokesman for the show were not immediately returned Thursday.Court records show Perez currently has three scheduled appearances in Bronx Criminal Court, including one follow-up to a conditional discharge of misdemeanor trespassing and drug charges. The other cases involve harassment, stolen property, menacing and assault charges, according to records.Port Authority police said Perez was arrested as she stepped off American Airlines Flight 22 after its arrival just after midnight at Kennedy.The flight had departed Los Angeles Airport at 3:20 p.m. Wednesday.Pentangelo said that during the flight a crew member had seen Perez going through her personal stowed bag -- and reported it to authorities.A subsequent search by police following landing found Perez in possession of an iPad belonging to a flight attendant, as well as a stolen passport and bank card -- which Pentangelo said were found stuffed into the woman's underwear.Police said a search of Perez also recovered 10 grams of marijuana from her bra.Police said the flight attendant, identified only as a 27-year-old woman, told them she had seen Perez take her bag and place it under Seat 13A. Perez initially told police she had been given the iPad, Pentangelo said, but a forensic examination verified it was the one belonging to the attendant. A passenger also told police her passport and Bank of America card had gone "missing" during the flight -- and police said both were recovered in the possession of Perez.Arraignment details were not immediately available.Original article can be found here: http://www.newsday.com

The pilot of small, single-engine Cessna 152 made an emergency landing in a muddy field near Pilot Point late Thursday morning.

Initial reports indicated an aircraft near Pilot Point was experiencing engine trouble and made an emergency landing.
The pilot brought the plane down in a muddy field near the 11000 block of Strittmatter Road. The plane came to rest with it's nose stuck in the mud and it's tail up in the air.
The plane is registered to a Denton flight school and is believed to have been flown by a pilot and student.
There were no injuries reported, according to Lynn Lunsford with the Federal Aviation Administration.
Lunsford said the FAA is investigating the incident.Original article can be found here: http://www.nbcdfw.com